The field of the invention pertains to wheel cover and trim components. The invention relates more particularly to a system for attaching wheel liners to the wheels of motor vehicles, wherein a centrally-located stepped plateau of a wheel liner centers the wheel liner and hub cover relative to each other, and facilitates centering of the wheel liner relative to the wheel during installation.
Various devices and methods have been utilized to cover the wheels of motor vehicles with wheel liners and other decorative trim components. Typically, truck and motor home wheel liners are secured to a wheel by threadedly engaging the end portions of wheel lugs without having to remove the lug nuts already secured thereon. Where the length of the lug extending beyond the lug nut is insufficient, lug extenders are commonly used to provide the required length. In any case, it is important when attaching wheel trim components that proper centering is achieved relative to the wheel, as well as between wheel liners and supplementary hub covers because unbalanced and otherwise improperly mounted wheel liners and hub covers can be hazardous when driving.
One example of a wheel trim attachment system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,616 using stud extenders 16 having internal threads for engaging lugs, external threads for engaging jam nuts 26, and basal mounting plates 30 for seating a trim member 36 thereon. The trim member 36 is secured to the wheel by sandwiching the trim member 36 between the jam nuts 26 and the basal mounting plates 30. In this attachment system the jam nut engages and secures the trim member directly, and is not designed to be used with a supplemental hub cover.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,286,093 a wheel trim attachment system is shown incorporating a separate hub cover and having a wheel trim with a trim flange frictionally engaging a lug nut. A disadvantage of this arrangement, however, is that it is necessary to form a reverse draw in the trim member. And in U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,735 another wheel trim attachment system is shown having a wheel liner comprising a central plateau, a first incline surrounding and extending below the plateau, and a second incline surrounding the first incline. As shown in FIG. 1, the wheel liner is secured to the wheel by means of lug nuts and an additional annular component having a plurality of holes. The hub cover 36, does not contribute to the attachment of the wheel liner to the wheel. However, the hub cover 36 is centered relative to the wheel liner by means of mounting screws.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple, efficient, and cost-effective wheel liner system for attachment to wheels of vehicles.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a wheel liner system which facilitates centering of the wheel liner relative to the wheel, and to thereby facilitate installation.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a wheel liner system capable of centering a wheel liner and an independent hub cap relative to each other.
The present invention is for a wheel liner system for attachment to a wheel of a vehicle having a mounting surface and lugs engaged by lug nuts adjacent to the mounting surface. In a first preferred embodiment, the wheel liner system comprises a wheel liner having an annular peripheral portion with an inner perimeter, and a center portion with a step sidewall extending from the inner perimeter to a plateau having a plurality of holes for receiving the lug nuts. The plateau is preferably spaced from the mounting surface to position the plurality of holes adjacent corner portions of the lug nuts. This enables the corner portions of the lug nuts to transitionally contact and support the wheel liner during installation which facilitates centering of the wheel liner relative to the wheel. In the first preferred embodiment, the wheel liner system further comprises means for releasably securing said wheel liner to said wheel.
In a second preferred embodiment, the wheel liner system also comprises a wheel liner having an annular peripheral portion with an inner perimeter, and a center portion with a step sidewall extending from the inner perimeter to a plateau having a plurality of holes for receiving the lug nuts. Additionally, the wheel liner comprises a hub cover having a deck portion with at least two apertures, and an outer skirt extending below the deck portion. The outer skirt is adapted to matingly and abuttingly surround the step sidewall of the wheel liner whereby the hub cover and the wheel liner are centered relative to each other. Furthermore the wheel liner also comprises means for releasably securing the wheel liner to the wheel. The means for releasably securing is adapted to exert a securing force on the hub cover towards the wheel, which in turn exerts the securing force on the wheel liner against the wheel.